XXVI. TO EMIGRANTS.
[Image of page 100]
XXVI.
TO EMIGRANTS.
Who should emigrate--Hours of labour--Wages.
IN concluding these chapters I cannot refrain from giving some advice to those who may be inclined to emigrate.
Who should emigrate. --The great question for you to consider is this, Are you really a suitable person for a young colony? for the whole question of emigration is one of adaptation. If you are adapted to colonial pursuits, go; if you are ill adapted, stay. From what has been said in the foregoing pages, any one may form a correct idea of what is to be done in a new colony.
When the writer emigrated twenty-six years ago, he would have given anything for the information scattered through these pages. He was afraid that he was not suitable for a young colony, as he was destitute of all agricultural knowledge; but, fortunately, he
[Image of page 101]
was mistaken, and found by experience that he was adapted to the country, and the country to him.
Who should not emigrate. --I would not advise a large family to emigrate, unless the elder children are able to work for themselves; neither would I advise delicately-trained governesses or clerks, nor persons who have consumption developed to a certain extent, nor broken-down schoolmasters and clergymen: all such persons do wrong to emigrate. Youth, health, vigour, and skill are the requisites of the successful emigrant.
Hours of labour. --The hours of labour are in general eight per day. Farm-servants go out to plough after breakfast, and are in the plough at eight o'clock in the morning, and knock off at five in the afternoon, with an hour for dinner at midday. These are the hours of labour amongst tradesmen. Wages of farm-servants, £50 to £60 a year. Tradesmen, 10s. to 14s. a day. Needle-women, wherever the nature of the business will admit of it, work only eight hours a day. There is also for shop girls and needle-women certain holidays in the year, and the half of Saturday secured as recreation. Wages, needle-women, 18s. to 25s. per week.
Labour Market. --The following returns have been furnished by his Honour the Superintendent:--
List of Ships that arrived in Otago, and the number of Immigrants in each, from 29th December 1873 to 31st January 1874.
| Ships.
|
From what Port.
|
Date of Arrival.
|
Statute Adults.
|
| City of Dunedin
|
Glasgow
|
29th December
|
114
|
| Surat
|
London,
|
1st January,
|
223
|
| Dunfillan
|
London,
|
16th January
|
137
|
| Total
|
|
|
474
|
[Image of page 102]
LIST OF IMMIGRANTS engaged through the Immigration Office, Dunedin, from 29th December 1873 to 31st January 1874, and the current Rate of Wages given.
| Class.
|
No.
|
Current Rate of Wages.
|
| Blacksmiths
|
5
|
12s. per day.
|
| Bootmakers
|
8
|
£3, 10s. per week.
|
| Bricklayer
|
1
|
12s. per day.
|
| Carpenters
|
18
|
14s. per day.
|
| Coopers
|
3
|
10s. per day.
|
| Dairymaids
|
3
|
£40 to £45 per annum.
|
| Dressmakers
|
2
|
From 20s. to 25s. per week.
|
| Engineers
|
2
|
12s. per day.
|
| Farm-servants
|
42
|
£52 to £55 per annum, and found.
|
| Female cooks
|
6
|
£40 to £45 per annum, and found.
|
| Female general servants
|
61
|
£30 to £35 per annum, and found.
|
| Gardeners
|
5
|
£60 to £65 per annum, and found.
|
| Grocer
|
1
|
25s. per week.
|
| Groom
|
1
|
20s. per week, and found.
|
| Harness-maker,
|
1
|
£3, 10s. per week.
|
| Harvest men
|
5
|
£2, 10s. per week, and found.
|
| Housemaids
|
16
|
£25 to £30 per annum, and found.
|
| Housekeepers
|
3
|
£50 per annum.
|
| Miners
|
2
|
4s. per ton displaced.
|
| Nursery maids
|
3
|
8s. to 10s. per week.
|
| Painters
|
2
|
10s. per day.
|
| Platelayers
|
2
|
8s. to 9s. per day.
|
| Ploughmen
|
3
|
£60 per annum, and found.
|
| Shepherds
|
2
|
£60 per annum, and found.
|
| Tailors
|
10
|
£3 to £3, 10s. per week.
|
| Weavers
|
9
|
As per agreement.
|
COLIN ALLAN, Immigration Officer.
